Sliding jaw wrench with oppositely threaded screw adjustment



T. L. MAYRATH Filed May 15, 1946 March 9, 1948.

INVEN TOR. THO/V4.5 Z M4K/77// 4 x/u lfIIl/Vly! Patented Mar. 9, 1948 "UiNirEoisTArEs PATENT OFFICE 1 gimme JAW WRENCH'WITH orrosrrstv THREADED SCREW ADJUSTMENT Thomas L. Mayrath, Dodge City, Kans.

Application May 15, 1946, Serial No; 669,773

(Granted under the act of March 3, 18 83, as I 3 Claims.

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) accommodate an adjusting screw N. A second slot l9a extends thru the movable jaw as shown and is similar to and registrable with the first. The screw 20 comprises a stem 2| which has two threaded portions 22 and 23, the threads of which are opposed. The stem extends thru both slots Another object is to provide a wrench, the

parts of which can be readily fabricated from steel plate and bar stock without the using of forging dies.

Another object 'is to provide a screw adjustment which is readily accessible to the operator, even when he is wearing gloves, The adjusting screw is subjected only to tension when the wrench is used; therefore it is not likely to be bent or otherwise deformed during use of the wrench. Even though the jaws have taken a permanent deformation from an overload, the screw is still easy to adjust.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete assembly. 1

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the wrench with the adjustable jaw removed, taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the adjustable jaw taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

I0 is a single unit comprising a fixed jaw II a flat shank l2 and a handle l3. Connecting the shank and the jaw, there is an incline I4 which is preferably of 30 but which may be somewhat steeper or less steep. Slidably fitted on the shank l6, which encircles and is slidable upon shank I! up to the point at which incline l4 begins. There is also a forwardly pointed triangular projection I! integral with jaw IS, the lower surface of said projection being slanted at the same angle as incline M. A polygonal opening is thereby formed between the jaws which is well adapted at its lower corner, to accommodate the angle of a hexagon nut.

As will be seen by inspection of the figures, there is an inclined slot l9 extending preferably, but not necessarily entirely thru shank l2 and the shoulder l8 where that shank joins jaw ill. The slot I9 is preferably oblong, as shown, but may be of any suitable shape. It is provided to I9 and I900. The threading is such that when the screw is rotated in its supports, i. e. trunnion nuts 24 and 25 in jaw openings 26 and 21 which are adjacent the slots, a clockwise rotation of the screw separates the jaws and a counterclockwise one draws them together. This involves a slight rotation of the trunnion nuts, so the fit of these must not be so tight that they will not move. Their outer cylindrical surfaces bear on the slot walls. Screw stem 2| projects outward from shank I2 at an angle of about 30, thereby being very accessible, even to gloved hands; A knurled knob 28, separable from the stem, is provided on the outer end. Itis necessary to separate the knob in order to assemble the tool.

The full lines of Fig. 1 show the wrench in its I fully closed position. The dotted lines show the jaws open. While it is impossible to bring the jaws fully together in this type of wrench, it is seldom desirable to do so in aircraft servicing work. The jaws are always parallel and are always easily adjustable.

The invention claimed is:

1. An adjustable wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a shank integral therewith, a movable jaw, a collar associated therewith, said collar slidably fitting said shank, said shank being perforated by an inclined slot and the movable jaw being also perforated by a slot of similar incline so as to be registrable with the first, a trunnion nut mounted across each of said slots, and an adjusting screw threadedly mounted through both trunnion nuts, said screw having two oppositely threaded sections whereby said screw upon rotation partially rotates said trunnion nuts and moves the collar and associated jaw along the length of said shank.

2. An adjustable Wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a shank integral therewith, a slidable jaw, a mounting for said jaw slidable on said shank and means for bringing said jaws together or moving them apart, said means comprising a trunnion nut mounted across a diagonal slot extending through the shank near the fixed jaw, a second trunnion nut mounted across a slanting slot registrable with the first slot and extending through the slidable jaw and a screw having two oppositely threaded portions rotatably mounted through the said nuts and slots and projecting at approximately a 30 angle to the shank, Whereby said slidable jaw may be adjusted along the length of said shank.

3. In combination in a Wrench, a slotted, integral fixed jaw and shank member, a slotted movable jaw and collar fitting said shank member and trunnion-mounted screw means extending into the shank member slot and through the 1 movable jaw piece to project at an acute angle to the shank, said screw means being oppositely threaded in its trunnion mountings to reversibly slide the movable jaw along the shank member upon selective rotation of said screw means.

THOMAS L. MAYRA'IH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hyre Nov. 28, 1893 Vanderbeek June 4, 1895 Strathern NOV. 18, 1919 Menzl June 26, 1923 Van Eek Sept, 27, 192'? I Bucky Feb, 14, 1928 i Lurie Sept, 24, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Dec. 11, 1880 

